PADUCAH, Ky. (6/24/13) – Biologists with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Migratory Bird Program will be banding Canada Geese at Noble Park Lake this week. The banding will occur Thursday, June 27 between 8 and 10 a.m. Approximately 100 Canada Geese spend much of the year at Noble Park Lake, and the biologists will work to place a leg band on each goose.

The process involves rounding up the geese into a pen, checking the gender of each bird, placing a band around each bird’s leg, and then releasing the bird back to the lake. The entire process for one bird takes only a couple of minutes. For birds that try to avoid the biologists by staying in the water, small remote control boats will be used to urge the birds to come out of the water.

This is the time of year for the banding to occur since Canada Geese currently are flightless. Each year for about two to three weeks, the geese molt and become temporarily flightless. Those who have visited Noble Park Lake in the past few days may have noticed an increase in feathers near the bank.

Each year the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife catches and bands about 1000 birds. With the banding, the State is able to get information on the typical lifespan and migratory patterns for the Canada Geese. It has been determined that most of the Canada Geese from Kentucky spend their summers in either James Bay or Hudson Bay in Canada.